Apatite (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH,F,Cl) 2 ) is the primary inorganic source of phosphorus in the biosphere. Soil fungi are known to increase plant-available phosphorus by promoting dissolution of various phosphate minerals. Yet no apatite dissolution studies exist using fungi as weathering agents, and regulation of fungal weathering activity in response to different levels of phosphorus availability...

The Carboniferous microfungus Protoascon missouriensis has been interpreted variously as an ascomycete, chytridiomycete, zygomycete and oomycete. We offer a more complete interpretation based on a re-examination of the type material that suggests the fossil represents an (a)zygosporangium-suspensor complex of a zygomycete comparable to some modern members of the Mucorales.

Mucormycosis is a clinical entity attributed to opportunistic fungal infection of order Mucorales. This includes several pathogenic subtypes. It commonly affects the rhinocerebral sites and the immunocompromized patients with devastating results. Visceral mucormycosis is a relatively rare complication. We report the first free sigmoid colon perforation secondary to invasive mucormycosis and dis...

In 23 leukemia patients with proven (n = 17) or possible (n = 6) pulmonary mucormycosis (PM), the presence of reversed halo sign on computed tomography was strongly associated with the positivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays targeting Mucorales in the serum, confirming the value of these two tools for the diagnosis of PM in this setting.

Saksenaea erythrospora is a newly described species of the order Mucorales which has not previously been reported as a cause of human infection. We report a fatal case of S. erythrospora invasive burn wound infection in a 26-year-old male injured during combat operations in Iraq.

The effect of hypoxic conditions on the in vitro efficacy of amphotericin B and posaconazole against Mucorales was evaluated by defining MICs with Etest and broth microdilution and identifying minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs). With Etest, oxygen-dependent changes were detected, while the MIC and the MFC determined with broth microdilution remained unaltered with reduced oxygen levels. T...

Mucorales (subphylum Mucoromycotina) are well-known agents of invasive mucormycosis, whereas Entomophthorales (subphylum Entomophthoromycotina) are rarely encountered in human diseases in temperate zones. Here we report a fatal case of invasive rhino-orbitocerebral entomophthoramycosis caused by Conidiobolus incongruus in a 78-year-old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome.

A collection of 2,278 isolates belonging to 86 different fungal species was tested with micafungin and eight other drugs using the EUCAST procedures. Micafungin was active against species of Candida and Aspergillus (even azole-resistant species) as well as Penicillium spp., Scedosporium apiospermum, and Acremonium spp. It was inactive for species of Basidiomycota and Mucorales and for multiresi...